Gray Heart
by Ispell2
Summary: Sareen, a Dunmer living in Windhelm, finds an orphan of three in the graveyard, and takes her home, and raises her as she would a daughter. But not everyone in Windhelm approves of this adoption. A Dark Elf raising a NORD CHILD! They won't have it. Will Sareen get to raise Kedev well, or will the racism in Skyrim prevent Kedev from loving her forever?
1. Chapter 1

She found her on a winter evening, shivering in rags by the graveyard in Windhelm. Under the dim light of the moon, Sareen stumbled along the worn stone path. It was so very dark out, even with one of the moons lit, and her eyes still hadn't adjusted to dull black nights in Skyrim. She was returning home from Morrowind after an old friend of hers had fallen ill. She was the best healer in Skyrim, and everyone knew it. She hoped no one had burnt her possessions. But even though the night was so dark, and the cold numbed her skin, and the wind roared in her ears, she heard the squeak of a small child. It startled her, and she turned around to see a young Nord child, tossing and turning in her sleep. She was clearly an orphan.

Who would keep their child outside on a night like this, in Windhelm of all places? She knew why the child had stayed hidden, but was surprised it was smart enough to do so. She was only about three years old. Sareen bent down to touch the frozen child, and realized with a start that she was blue, and her hands were beginning to crack and bleed. Sareen picked the small child up, who had fallen in to an unrestful sleep from the cold. She hurried to the Gray-Quarter and unlocked her door. It was almost as cold in here as it was out there. Luckily, no one had stolen from her, or burnt anything, so she plucked a few logs from a pile of firewood, threw them in the fireplace, and cast a fire spell. She put a bedroll by the fire, and lay the poor toddler by the fire, and covered her with her only other blanket.

Sareen's stomach growled. She missed how well she was fed in Morrowind. Here she'd get nothing but cabbages and potatoes. All week, cabbage and potato soup. The only things they'd LET her buy, and moreso afford. She cut the potatoes and half a head of cabbage and put them in a pot of water on the fire, stirring it occasionally. She was dazzled by the little thing sleeping beside her. Who was she? Where are her parents? Does she even _have _parents? Or family? Where is she from? How has a BABY evaded the guards? The little girl squirmed, and one of the cracks on her hands opened.

She opened her eyes and began to bawl. "Shh... Shhh...", Sareen cooed to the crying girl, and placed her hands over the child's hand. She let go, and crack was gone. The little girl held up her hand in the fascinated way only a child can, and turned it over. "Gone!", the child squeaked in delight. "Mac! Mac!" _"Mac? Oh! She must mean magic!"_, Sareen thought to herself. She couldn't help but smile at how happy the child was despite her condition. The blue in her skin was fading away, and the snow had melted from her hair and clothes. She was soaking wet. Sareen poured the soup into two bowls, and ate a spoonful of one. She took the spoon, and fed the little girl some of the soup. She scrunched up her face and Sareen laughed. It _did _taste awful.

"Do you have a name, little one?", Sareen asked the child. The girl thought for awhile, and shook her head. "Awe can't rember.", she told her. "You need a name then. Do you like... Ariaetta? It was my mothers." She shook her head no. "Juilaia? It was my aunt's." The baby shook her head again. Sareen gave an exasperated sigh. "What about "impossible"? Do you like THAT?" She giggled and clapped her hand. Sareen gave her a look. "No." She giggled again. Sareen fed her another spoonful of soup. "Kedev! That's a perfect name for you! Do you like Kedev?", Sareen asked. She smiled and said yes. "Wonderful. You're name will be Kedev.", Sareen said softly, feeding her another spoonful of soup, and watched Kedev make another face.

"You're all wet. Let's go find something for you to wear.", Sareen said carrying her into her room. She rummaged through some extra cloth she had salvaged from the general store. The owner was a Dunmer, too, and he took sympathy to her. No one wants true remedies, ones that work almost right away. All of the Nords prayed to their Gods. While their prayers were usually answered, it did sometimes take a very long time. None of the people living here believed that the herbal remedies, medicine, and magic she used to cure so many with success was in fact a gift from the Nine, so she didn't make much money in Windhelm. Usually when she got coin from doing out of town work, she'd splurge on meat and new clothes, or a warmer blanket. Her skin wasn't nearly as accustom to Skyrim's freezing air as the Nord's were.

She took out a pile of the scraps and found a needle and thread, and stitched a crude dress for Kedev. She was a master healer, not a master seamstress. She dressed her in the new clothes, and pinned the wet ones on the wall to dry. "I know you don't like it, but you need to eat some more soup. You need to get warm inside, as well on the outside.", Sareen told her. Kedev frowned, but was so hungry she forced town the thin tasteless soup. Sareen yawned, and Kedev yawned with her. "Are you sleepy?" She nodded. "Me too. Come on.", she dragged her bedroll out to the fire and lay down. She let Kedev have the blanket. She was just about to nod off, when she felt something nestle by her stomach. Kedev had crawled in her to bedroll, and snuggle beside her.

Sareen smiled. This was a nice feeling, having a child to care for. She put her arm around Kedev, and held her close, and slept better than she ever had.


	2. Chapter 2

Sareen woke up just in time to stoke to embers of the fire and put another log on. Kedev slept on peacefully. Sareen smiled and pulled the blanket back around her. She stretched out, and took the other half of the cabbage, and cut and put it in yesterdays pot of water, now greased over and cold. She had only bought enough for dinner on the way home last night, so she'd have to buy some more. Good thing she'd just gotten paid. She could even show off Kedev to her friends. She counted out her money while she waited for the water to boil, and for Kedev to wake up.

Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four... Three hundred and twenty-five Septims! Not bad. She could get some more food and have enough to buy a few extra things for Kedev. It was still too dark out to go to the store. While Revyn would be waiting for the rest of the Dunmer to come and get the leftover items from last week, he was a man, and he was safe from "The Butcher". News of the murderous patterns had even reached Morrowind, and she was surprised she had lived last night. Maybe she wasn't pretty enough. She frowned.

She got up and went to her room, and unlocked her strongbox. In it was a rag that wasn't even fit for patching up a towel, bundled around something. She pulled the cloth from it, and reveled a beautiful ornate silver set of a brush and mirror, and a breathtaking hair comb, heavily laden with moonstone designs, gems, and the most gorgeous flower she had ever known, preserved in amber. It was an heirloom all of the women on her fathers side, and even when she was freezing on the floor wrapped in a thin shawl because she had no money, she couldn't bring herself to sell it.

She removed the mirror from the case, and gazed at herself in the shining surface. She wasn't sure how she looked. None of the men here in Windhelm (Well, none of the Dunmer men), had reached the age of desire in their path to sexual maturity. That would be another eight years for even the oldest male settling here. Elves lived much longer than man does. At age three-hundred and twenty-two, she was considered to be very young and naive by elf standards. So, naturally, they grew and matured slower, though even an infant of ninety was considered to have more sense than a human of forty.

Mates were also chosen not just by attraction and who could bear the most children, but by who could provide the best protection provision. Women reached the desire stage of sexual maturity faster than men in the elf culture. The age old rule of reproduction being the evolutionary goal applied to every species that could. Even though she didn't really feel attracted to anyone, she considered herself quite beautiful by elf ideas of beauty. Her features were creamy and light, and her skin was more like silver than plain grey. Her eyes were a flickering red, and her hair was black and smooth. She didn't know it, but she was a catch.

Still, she had secretly admired the beauty of Nords, how different their faces could range. Most Dunmer admitted that they looked similar, all with high protruding cheekbones, and almost vertical red eyes. But she'd seen so many different kinds of faces of man. Round faces, thin faces, beautiful, ugly, plain, and even some that look like an elf or a skeever! She looked over to Kedev, still sleeping peacefully, and envied her for her ability of diversity. She was a clear Nord, not a trace of Breton or Imperial blood, with a warm blue eyes and wavy yellow hair, and of course, the signature thick nose.

She wrapped the mirror back up, and put it back in the strongbox, and locked it. She went back and stirred the soup, and for once it smelled good. Perhaps Kedev simply put her in a better light of heart. She looked back out the window, and saw it was getting lighter out. While she couldn't see the sun from down in the Gray-Quarter, she knew that a beautiful sunrise was happening. That was one of the good things about Skyrim, how lovely the sunset and sunrise was. She poured the last of the soup in the bowls, and woke Kedev up.

It took some work to wake her. Kedev was a hard sleeper. Even after she managed to get her up and eat, she was still half asleep. The sun was up now, and Sareen decided to go to the store. She took the brush out of the wrapping and brushed Kedev's hair first, and then her own. She slid some small bags on her belt and tied it, and took half of the money she had to spend. She opened the door and took Kedev's hand. The blizzard from last night had cleared up completely, and the snow had been shoveled to huge drifts by the walls.

She'd have to get a few buckets of it, so she could have fresh water. That's what happened to most of the water here; the residents, Dunmer or Nord, brought it in by the tubfull. She and Kedev took the short walk to Sadri's Used Wares. "Oh, Good morni-", Revyn started to say. He stared at the little Nord child holding Sareen's hand. "Sareen... Who's that?", he asked pointing to Kedev in a shocked voice. Sareen looked down and smiled. "This is Kedev. At least, that's what I call her. I got home last night, and found her freezing in the graveyard, so I took her in, and I'm taking care of her until I find her parents.", Sareen replied.

"What if she doesn't have any?" "Then I'll raise her." Revyn looked at her with concern. "You know that our wonderful Jarl would never allow us "Grayskins" to raise a Nord child." Sareen tightened her grip on Kedev's hand and pulled her closer. "If he even tries, I'll take his life faster than he or his Housecarl could pull their blade." Revyn sighed. "I suppose I can't stop you." "Of course not. You're my friend. One of my best. It would be a great betrayal if you did anything to aid the Jarl in taking Kedev away." "Don't worry, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of ripping a child from a Dunmer that loves and takes care of them."

"Besides, like you said, we're friends. Now, what do you need today?" "Let's see... some more vegtables and a pound of meat, a doll, a jug of milk, two blankets, a pillow, and I feel like going all out, so I'll need a few bottles of mead, a bottle of Alto Wine, some leeks, and a whole roll of that green wool fabric. For once, I have that much money." "That's about... one-hundred and eighty-nine Septims." "I'm a few Septims short. Let me run back to my house and get some more." "That's okay, Sar. I've got you covered.", Revyn said, handing her two bags and a huge roll of cloth. She lay the money on the counter, and left, intending to remedy that not a master seamstress problem right away.


	3. Chapter 3

(Sorry if the last chapter seemed a bit sloppy. I was tired, and I couldn't think of anything else for them to say.)

Kedev grew quickly with the care Sareen provided her. She was of a larger frame, but not in a wide way, and was gifted with strength and speed, and most importantly, how to make others smile in a perilous time. Ulfric Stormcloak had been struck down in his palace, in front of his supporters and warriors by the Dragonborn's hand. It brought a celebration to the Dunmer, and the few Nords living in Windhelm that saw the plight and pity of the Dark Elves in the city, but had made those who were devoted to keeping them in their place had lashed out.

They had killed two Dunmer, Aval and Luaffyn, but the mob of Nords had made their mistake then. Showing themselves, and killing senselessly during the day under tight observation and patrol of Imperial soldiers had been their downfall. Those that were not killed, were kept in prison, and their houses had been given to the family or friends of the Dunmer they had killed, and their own families sent to live in Gray-Quarter. But unfortunately and thankfully, none of Sareen's friends had been killed.

Even so, they were payed a hefty sum, and were able to add a new room to their house, freshly paint everything, and replace all of the broken and old furniture. They now each had their own bedroom, and a wardrobe of clothes, and trinkets decorating their rooms. After all of the tragedies happening in Winterhold, and the money they had been given , things were finally starting to look up. The Grey-Quarter was no longer plagued at night by the ruckus and rumble of a drunken Rolff Stone-Fist and his friends storming up and down the corridor screaming vile insults and throwing stones.

But even though the harsh words against the Dark Elves had been hushed, there were many disapproving thoughts and looks of Sareen and Kedev. Even the Imperials there were hesitant to let Sareen keep her. In fact, the other Dunmer didn't like it much either. She still had friends, but every other month someone would find a new way to subtly hint that she should let the Nords raise the Nords, and the Dunmer raise the Dunmer. Revyn was the only one to not complain about it. Well, not after the first time.~

Sareen sat on the steps in front of Candlehearth Hall with Catherine, a Breton woman, the wife in a young couple, and watched Kedev play tag with the other child, braids trailing behind. Catherine was not terribly intelligent, but she was good of heart, and always truthful. She sighed with a flowery look in her eyes, which seemed to brighten the dull light that breached the walls of Winterhold. "Look at them. They look so happy. I wish I could be a child again.", she told Sareen dreamily. "You _are _still a child. You're only eighteen.", Sareen replied surprised.

Catherine gave her a playful look. "I mean a small child, like Kedev, or Eirid's little sister." "You mean Illyda?" Catherine nodded. "It must be wonderful to not have responsibilities. To get to play all of the time." "Well, if you're that hung up on children, why don't you have some?", Sareen joked. Catherine didn't catch it. "I'd have to get my husband away from The White Phial in order to do that. I had doubts about him being the apprentice here, because I knew I wouldn't get to see him much. He's just so... obsessive. But this... This is even less than I thought I would! He used to be like that with me."

"Don't get me wrong. He's kind, and sweet, and not any where near as chauvinistic with me as my father was to my mother, and he has such a way with words..." She paused a moment, trying to remember why she was upset. "But I wish he'd spend more time with me, and less time over an alchemy lab. Maybe if I go in there and tell him to make me potion for increased fertility, he'll take a hint." "I wouldn't count on it. That husband of yours is rather oblivious." Sareen stopped, and then added ,"But, a girl can hope."

They watched the girls play a while longer. "So, when are _you _going to settle down?", Catherine asked suddenly. Sareen was taken aback by the abrupt question, and then thought about it deeply. "Well, none of the men here are ready yet.", Sareen answered for the sake of answering. Catherine frowned. "I- I mean... Well... The Nord men just don't attract me, and i'm fairly certain I don't attract them. Most of the people here aren't exactly open to that kind of marriage anyway. I can wait a few more years. They'll be ready then."

Catherine nodded, clearly not listening anymore. "You know what? I'm going to do it. I'm going to go there right now and get a fertility potion. I'll tell you how it goes. See you later!", she said determinedly, jumping up. Sareen waved goodbye, and reflected on their conversation. _"Actually, they'll be ready in about five years", _She thought to herself. _"Maybe I should start thinking about it." _She snapped back to reality, and saw that Kedev was standing right beside her with a beautiful grin on her face.

She was eight now, and the happiness she brought was getting brighter and brighter. You couldn't help but be elated in her presence. It wasn't magic. Happiness from magic felt different, muddled. This was pure innocent happiness, the kind that can only come from someone around you that is truly happy. That made Sareen feel even better. She was doing a wonderful job as a mother, if she was able to keep Kedev happy in poverty. "Look at my scratch mommy!", Kedev told her gleefully. "It doesn't hurt. Now I have a battle scar, just like Aldrissar!"

Sareen rolled her eyes with a smile. Kedev had chosen the Dragonborn as her personal idol, and was always getting in trouble and playing pretend games. Usually she made Illyda be the dragon. Kedev babbled on about her game until her stomach growled. "I'm hungry, mommy!", she announced. "Well, we'd better go fill you up, then. How does sausage and cheese sound?", Sareen said to her, taking her hand. "Again?", Kedev whined. "It's either that or cabbage soup.", Sareen told her. Kedev sulked a little.


	4. Chapter 4

Kedev sat by her mother, and pulled her hair in to braids, tying them to the back of her head with a small, blue-budded flowering vine. She twined the hair left over in to four loops, and wrapped them around the vine. Sareen turned herself toward her daughter and smiled, tilting her head ever so slightly. She looked beautiful, and with her face painted and her hair done, she had an extra touch elegance about her. Her high cheekbones and brow ridge looked less worn and aged, even though she was still quite young. Her already thick lashed and rosy eyes were heavily lined with black, and thin streaks of blue capped it all off.

Her bony and calloused hands, working hands, had been painted in designs with a soft shimmering blue, and appeared to have a clear glossy coat around the patterns, and looked kind and delicate, like she had never suffered poverty or hardship a day in her life. And now, with the help of Kedev, her deep black hair was shaped lovingly in to the perfect dressing. And there was her dress. It was a warmly lined thick fabric; a tight dark blue stomacher laced as tightly as it would go around her waist. The base dress was light blue, close the the color of the streaks on her eyes, and it had no shoulder or sleeves.

Long, fingerless gloves of the same fabric covered her arms to just below her shoulders, and a short frill was sewn to the top. It was the best she could buy with her earnings and stature, but it was still one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Kedev wore a dress of the same maker, green this time, full shouldered, lined a bit thicker, longer, and instead of a stomacher (Sareen said she was too young to be wearing one at fifteen) she had a worn brown leather belt, loosely tied around her hips. The front locks of her hair had been heated and curled, and a fine thin strap of leather was fastened around a curl.

They wanted to look their best for the wedding. Pure, virginal, innocent; the ideal image for a young bride. And her daughter. "You look beautiful.", they said simultaneously to each other, and giggled after. "Thank you.", Kedev smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her bright blue eyes. Her joy and happiness had not faded to angst and unprecedented anger with her growing, filling body as she entered her teenage years. She was still the cheerful bright sun in the still dreary fog that flowed throughout the city of Windhelm.

Oftentimes, when citizens were feeling down, and their last drought of happiness came from a bottle of strong drink, they would visit her in her home, spend an hour there, talking and laughing and soaking in the radiant blissfulness that made her glow about in a special way. Her behavior stood out like a white flower in an endless sea of charred forest, and for that, she and Sareen got by well enough. She had made friends with even the sourest of persons, given the exception of some of the more firmly planted of the cruel Dunmer tormentors of before.

But today was not about Kedev. Today was about about Sareen and Revyn, and their union. A number of their family and friends had gathered in Whiterun, and the Priestess' of Kynareth had permitted a blossom from the Gildergreen to be plucked and preserved as a wedding gift from most of the people there, as many of them were poor, like Sareen and Revyn. But a few, mostly the family of an old patient of Sareen's named Myra, were spectacular and lavish. Myra had been very sick as a child, as she was not of a normal birth.

It was a long and winding story that brought to her being. Her mother was an Imperial Noblewoman, who had not married by age thirty-one. Her father was an Altmer Nobleman, who was the least favored son of a high-up Thalmor General. The two families decided to make a marriage alliance. Both families thought that they were getting the better end of the deal, while thinking they had killed two bird with one stone, as neither family felt particularly proud of their children. But her mother and father fell in love, to the surprise of everyone they knew, and conceived three times before Myra, one involving birth.

Unfortunately, the firstborn child died before it turned four. But Myra survived. Myra was kept in health by Sareen most of the time, and her family payed a hefty sum, most of which went to her savings. The savings had been stolen by Gods knew who, but after the Empire regained control of Skyrim, they looked through old reports of crimes and problems, scrolling through every file or written document, and made sure that all crimes were repaid or caught again. When they could not find who had committed the theft, they paid her every last Septim, the whole 4,000.

She was overjoyed at having her money back, and used almost 2,500 of it on the wedding. Thanks to Myra, she was going to have a lovely wedding. But Myra wasn't done there. Her husband and children each brought a gift of their own making or choosing, and with those gifts were more gifts. Baubles or pictures made from dried noodles and paste from the smallest children, and ornamental items and jewelry from the older ones. Paintings and books and lesser pieces of furniture were waiting for Sareen and Revyn to reveal to the other guests. They knew that they would have to sell or give back some of it, someday.

They were not particularly useful items, and they would be going through some money needs. Kedev got to have a peek at the beautiful things before the wedding, as her mother was being finished up by her best friend and Maid of Honor, a pregnant Nord woman named Catherine, and Kedev decided to sneak around the area and check on the music and flowers and food. They were all set, so she wanted something else to do. She decided to take a peek at the wedding presents.

She crept up to large covered cargo wagon, and lifted the canvas for a brief second. A strong young hand smacked her's, and she let the fold drop. She was about to turn around and sulk away, when she saw who it was. The last time she had seen him was when she was four and he was nine. They had played together as much as they could, and got in to such mischief. But now, instead of a pale spindly little child, he was tall and lean and handsome. His black hair had grown almost to his hips now, and he tied it back in to a ponytail. His Imperial features stood out and mixed with the features of a wildman.

Fiery brown eyes peered out from the streams of black hair that ran over his light brown face. Olwen had surely grown up. Unbeknownst to Kedev, she herself had grown, too. Her hay yellow hair had been streaked with sun-bleached locks, and waved and curled about her body, tumbling to her knees, and a spray of light freckles were sprinkled across a smooth meshed but strong nose. Her skin was still very light, but had a pleasant and warm pink about it, as if her whole body blushed constantly. She was of normal height for a Nord girl her age, 5'2", and her body had started to fill out.

Creating curves that weren't there before, details that weren't as defined when she was a little girl. She had even developed bosom enough that her mother wouldn't let her out of the house if she wasn't wearing a chest wrapping or something the cover under her dresses. She was still rather thin, though. She didn't get quite the right nutrients all the time. But what really changed was her eyes. Her eyes had changed from a bubbly bright baby blue, to a deepened, darkend blue, due to how dark it was in Windhelm.

The sun always shined, and it was strong enough to bleach hair, but not enough to light the streets or darken skin. But right now she was breathtaken by her old friend being sure a beautiful creature. Myra's son wasn't like his siblings. They had all inherited the Elvish genes of their family, but he had been born with the gene line of his mother's mother. Imperial blood ran through his veins, and not enough a small point shaped his ears. He inherited height, and that was the last he was given of his Altmer side.

He gave her a soulful look of quiet anger, but after a few minutes, he smiled and laughed, and pulled her in to an embrace. "Kedev! It's been far too long since I last saw you! You've changed so much!", he exclaimed, crushing her in a strong hug. "Olwen, you're breaking my bones.", she managed to gasp. He put her down again, and looked her over. In he back of his mind, he was taken completely aback by her appearance, and thought only of her fresh and familiar face and what she could possibly look like under thick layers of her dress and loose belt, other than the flatness of a child.

A child. He couldn't not place that word in front of Kedev any longer. She was now a woman, and she must have a woman's body. That stirred him a bit, to see someone he grew up with, ripened and full. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his consciousness, and thought of the fondness and memories they had to catch up on. "Kedev you look so different!", he smiled, the everlasting joy of Kedev's presence seeping in to his heart. "As have you! How old are you know, eighteen? You gotten so tall!", Kedev replied giddily. She didn't need to imagine what he was like under the tunic and coats; It was clear he was muscular.

"Nineteen now. And you... You're fifteen, right? Gods. Dibella seems to have picked a favorite.", he said, regretting saying the last part, but glad he did. They both blushed and went silent. They started walking toward the procession, talking about old times and new times. (The wedding would take place at the top of the stairs to Dragonsreach ) "So, Sareen and Revyn are finally getting married, huh? Haven't we been waiting for years for them to do that?", Olwen said, twisting a stalk of grass from the ground and chewing on ther end.

"Longer if you're me. They've known each other ever since they came to Windhelm, and they only recently decided they would marry one another.", she said. They sat on the steps that overlooked the waterfall, and were silent. She was getting sprayed with water, so she moved closer to the dry spot, where Olwen was sitting. He didn't mind. In fact, it looked like he was trying to scoot closer to her at the same moment. "Actually, we do have a present for you. My mother is a Priestess of Mara, as you know. She doesn't like the way your mother holds you back in all forms of meeting men."

"Such wearing a stomacher or a ankle length skirt, or a corset, or cutting your hair, or any of the sort. But she figured your mother wouldn't mind a small Token of Mara. It's a bracelet that shows that you're interested in finding a prospective husband. Not interested in marrying anyone who inquires, just giving them a chance. Here.", he said, pulling a small box from a pocket inside of his tunic. She opened it to find a delicate chain bracelet, with amethyst gems dangling around it. "Oh, Olwen. Thank you, and your mother, and her temple, and Mara for this gift. Mother can't object to this.", Kedev said sweetly.

She was delighted and touched by the gift. She immediately fastened it around her wrist, and threw Olwen in to a hug. He hugged her back. As they pulled away from each other's arms, Olwen held the jeweled wrist of Kedev's arm lightly. "So.", he said softly. "I see you have a Token of Mara...". Kedev's heart froze.


End file.
